Why don't all members of the Air Force have to be fully qualified to be a rifleman in case of hostile events?

All Airmen qualify on the M-16 at Basic Training. Only Airmen in direct combat fields re-qualify annually, because frankly, there is 0 applicability of rifle or pistol qualification for most of our jobs. Airmen who deploy must qualify pre-deployment on any weapons they are expected to be proficient in for that deployment. Otherwise, a C-130 crew chief in Arizona, or an intelligence analyst in Georgia, or an RPA pilot in Nevada don't have much need for rifle/pistol quals.

To my knowledge everyone still must qualify with a rifle or sidearm (depending on rank and AFSC). When I was active duty, all the medics had to qualify with an M-16 so that we could protect our patients. I qualified expert on the M-16 and M-9 Beretta.

NO one talks about it BUT CESq is the PRIMARY BACKUP for SFSq ALL MEMBERS OF SFS and CES and SERVICES should have to SUCCESSFULLY complete AIRBASE GROUND DEFENSE COURSE when those members are being PAID WHAT THEY ARE the answer of THAT'S NOT MY JOB IS ABSOLUTELY BULLSHIT!

Rest in peace men.

Before I retired, my unit was required to qualify every two years But we were a mobile unit. But we were only trained for base defense. I qualified with both the M-16 and the 9MM.

I think some of it has to do with lack of funding. They don’t want to pens the money to make us ready. Ever heard of just in time training??

They are not a combat force! They have SPs to protect their bases and are usually far away from the FEBA/Actual combat zone.

When I went to Navy boot camp we were instructed on range, some of the recruts never held a gun, us "farmboys' thought they would be the first killed if in a combat situation. This also amplifies why civilian firearm ownership is important. I bet that many in a combat situation can be glad they had prior military access to firearms.

Honestly, I’d say you come off sounding like an elitist tool.
YOU are expected to be the base defense component of the Air Force. There was a time when your AFSC was divided into two separate and distinct specialties; security or law enforcement.
Due to my AFSC, I was qualified on several weapons, but I was by no means an expert on any of them. That’s what we had your often Jagoff brethren harassing us at every twist and turn out of boredom even though they saw us every day. I could walk right up and touch a “special weapon” and/or move it to another location while you could be shot for pushing past our guards.
So while your buddies controlled out perimeter, WE controlled access to the weapons.
I’d highly suggest you pour yourself a nice cup of STFU and stop acting like you have anywhere near the level of training as the average Army infantryman or Marine. You don’t, despite what your command has told you.

1000% agree with you!! 66-70 3225 weap. Control sys tech F-106. 77-93 army aviation electronics and armament plt sgt. It was a blast qualifing with the 16, 203 x rifle and granade launcher, m60 and shooting the 20mm vulcan 40 mm chunker and mini gun in turret of the helos.